The Stonewall Riots, a spontaneous series of demonstrations against unfair police raids and many other injustices that were done to the GLBT community, occurred at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village
The Stonewall Riots, a spontaneous series of demonstrations against unfair police raids and many other injustices that were done to the GLBT community, occurred at the Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City in the early morning hours of June 28, 1969. These demonstrations are considered by many to be the birth of the gay rights movement.
The Stonewall Inn was owned by the mafia and catered to an eclectic group of people including transvestites, hustlers, effeminate young men and homeless youth. For several nights after the raid there were protests and within week’s activist groups were organized to establish places where the GLBT community could be open about their sexual orientation without the fear of being harassed or arrested. One year later, on June 28, 1970, the first gay pride marches took place in Los Angeles and in New York City commemorating the anniversary of the riots. Today, 43 years later, gay pride events are held all over the country. Whereas a lot of them are celebrated in June, you can find gay pride events in every month of the year.
The party continues throughout the day, and then at 7:00 pm the Stonewall Summer Pride Twilight Parade takes to the street with fabulous floats and costumes. Following the parade, the stage comes alive for the Stonewall Summer Pride Concert.
Andy Bell of Erasure to Headline Stonewall Summer Pride
For more information, please visit StonewallSummerPride.com and check back in next week’s magazine for the full line-up of events!